Polishing attachment for electric sweepers



WWW? an" Feb. 8, 1949. M N 2,461,369

HING A CHMENT Filed July 27 1945 2 Sheets-Shes 1 i mum M. E. CAMERON 2,461,369

POLISHING ATTACHMENT FOR ELECTRIC SWEEPERS I Filed July 27, 1945 Feb. 8, 1949.

v 2 sheets-sheet? Patented Feb. 8, 1949 FFICE POLISHING ATTACHMENT FOR ELECTRIC SWEEPERS Millard E. Cameron, Allen Park, Mich.

Application July 271', 1945, Serial No. 607,322

4f Claims. 1

This invention relates to a polishing attachment for electric sweepers, and more particularly to such an attachment adapted for use in polishing, or scrubbing, floors, applied to an electric sweeper of the vacuum type of any desired conventional construction.

A primary object of this invention is the provision of an improved polishing brush, adapted to be rotatably driven by the motor of an electric sweeper, in such manner as to impart a high polish to floors or the like.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of such a device which may be readily and expeditiously installed in any conventional type of electric sweeper using a rotary brush.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of such a device which may be adjustably positioned Within the sweeper in order to vary the relative angle and position thereof with respect to the floor. 7

A further important object of the invention is the provision of such a device so dimensioned as to extend beyond the casing of the conventional sweeper whereby corners, baseboards, and crevices may be easily reached and cleaned.

A still further object. of the invention is the provision of such a device which may be readily applied to and removed from an electric sweeper as may be desired.

Still another object resides in the provision of such a device which will be sturdy and durable in construction, reliable and eificient in operation, and relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, assemble and install.

Other objects reside in the combinations of elements, arrangements of parts, and features of construction, all as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter and disclosed in the accompanying drawings wherein there is shown a preferred embodiment of this inventive concept.

In the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the device of'the instant invention as applied to a conventional electric sweeper. :g;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Figure 1 asyiewed in the direction indicated by the arrows Figure 3 is an enlarged sectiona1-.=view taken substantially along the line 3-3' Figure 2 as viewed in the direction indicated byjthe arrows.

Figure 4 is an enlarged top i'plan vi of fragmentary construction Figure 5 is an enlar 2 substantially along the lines 5-5 of Figure 2 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows. Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a constructional detail. Figure 7 is a side view partially in elevation and partially in section of a modified form of construction.

Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view of certain constructional details.

Referring now to the drawings, there is gen erally indicated at Ill an electric sweeper of any desired type including ahousing l l and a handle i2. In the illustrative embodiment shown the device includes a horizontal drive shaft I3 provided with a pulley M, which drives through a belt i5, normally a rotatable brush adapted to be secured between theside walls of the casing. The securing means for the brush taking the form as best shown in Figure 5 of resilient arms l5 terminating in downwardly extending outwardly brush shaft may be positioned upwardly between the spring arms l-fi and the brush may be readily removed therefrom by pulling the same downwardly with respect to such arms.

The device of the instant invention includes a shaft 29, the extremities of which are adapted to be secured in position by the arms i6, after the brush originally positioned in the device has been removed. The shaft 29 is provided with a double pulley 2|, one portion of which includes a flat surface 22, having a groove 23 therein whereby either a flat or round belt l5 may be accommodated, and the other portion of which includes a groove 24 adapted tobe engaged by a belt 25. As shown in Figure 6, the shaft 2Bhas in adjacent opposite extremities thereof transverse slots 26 extending 'therethrough adjacent which are threaded apertures 21. Extending through the slots 26 are extending members 28 provided with oppositely aligned grooves 29, which members terminate in ball bearings 30 secured within circular housing 3|, provided with flanges 32 and secured in related assembly as by screws 33 as tween the flanges, the bearings 3| serving as urnals for the central core or axle 34 of a r.o,-

ary'fiirush 35. Means are provided for engaging any of the:,, grooves 29 selectively to secure the extending members 28, and their associated brush and axles {3 5 and 34 in related'ass'embly with the shaft 20;:

slots 42, upturned finger grips 43.

'44 are adapted to pass through the slots 42, and

3 and such means taking the form as best shown in Figure 4 of slidable brackets 40 bifurcated as at 4!, and provided with longitudinally extending Set screws engage in the threaded apertures 21 and the shaft 29. Obviously by releasing the screws 44 the members 48 may be slid inwardly or outwardly with respect to the members 38, and when in extended position the bifurcations 4| engage one of the grooves 29 in such manner as to hold the extended members 28 securely in related assembly with the shaft 20. Preferably, four of the members 40 are provided in oppositely aligned relation, two being provided at each extremity of the shaft 20 on opposite sides thereof.

The belt 25 extends about the axle 34, and

serves to rotate the same when the pulley 2! is rotated about the shaft 20.

From the foregoing the operation of the assembly should now be readily understandable. The shaft replaces the normal rotary brush of the device in the manner above described, and the brush 35, which, it may here be pointed out, extends a substantial distance beyond the side walls of the housing is then driven from the conventional motor of the device through the belts l5 and to effect a polishing action on the floor as desired. Obviously, when not in use the shaft 29 and its related parts may be removed, and any one of the normal brush attachments for the While in the foregoing the device has been described in association with an electric sweeper embodying a horizontally positioned drive shaft i3, it will be readily understood that the same may also be applied to devices using a vertical shaft, by a rearrangement of the belts and pulleys. This arrangement is best disclosed in Figure 7 wherein a casing 10, provided with a handle 1'2, contains a suitable electric motor provided with a vertical drive shaft l3 adapted to drive through, a pulley [41 on the end thereof, a belt 15'. The belt [5' in turn drives a shaft 29 through a pulley 2|, the shaft 29 being substantially identical to shaft 26 and operating to rotate a brush in a substantially identical manner.

From theforegoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved polishing attachment for electric sweepers, which may be either employed as an accessory in new sweepers or which alternatively, may be readily applied to a large number of existing old type sweepers, the

attachment being effected with a minimum of diificulty and rearrangement of the parts. It will also be seen that there is herein provided a device accomplishing all the objects of this invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1.,A surface treating attachment for electric sweepers having a casing and a motor therein comprising a shaft adapted to be mounted in said casing, extending members slidably carried by and disposed perpendicular to said shaft, said extending members being spaced longitudinally of said shaft, said extending members having a pluralityof longitudinally spaced grooves, each of said extending members having a journal at one end thereof, a cylindrical surface treating member rotatably mounted in said journals, driving means connecting said surface treating member and said motor, and slidable latches carried by'said shaft selectively engageable with said grooves for radial adjustment of said extending members and said surface treating member relative to said shaft.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said extending members are slidably mounted in transverse slots in said shaft.

3; The combination of claim 1 wherein said extending members are adjustably mounted in transverse slots in said shaft, saidrlatches comprising a plurality of clips, each of said clips having a bifurcated end for selectively engagin the grooves in said extending members.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said extending members are slidably mounted in transverse slots in said shaft, each of said latches having a bifurcated end for selectively engaging the grooves in said extending members, each of said extending members being engaged by a pair of said latches on opposite sides of said shaft.

MILLARD E. CAMERON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 

